Devices for cleaning pipes



Jan. 14, 1958 'J. J. LOCKERT 2,319,481

DEVICES FOR CLEANING PIPES Filed Sept. 21, 1955 IN V EN TOR.

@1715 'J. Locker) BY C WM "United States Patent DEVICES FOR CLEANI G PIPES John J. Lockert, Seattle,- Wash.

Application September 21, 1955, SerialNo. 535,676

2 Claims. (Cl. 15104.3)

My invention relates to a device for cleaning pipes and an object of my invention is to improve pipe cleaning devices of the type employing a flexible resilient cable which is inserted into and rotated within a pipe to loosen and facilitate the removal of solid matter which has become lodged in the pipe.

Another object is to provide an improved cage or housing of generally conical shape to receive and hold a flexible resilient pipe cleaning cable of the form sometimes termed a snake and to facilitate the handling and use of said cable and to conserve and prolong theuseful life of said cable by preventing the cable from kinking and insuring the proper coiling of the cable within the cage or housing.

Another object is to-provide cable housing and holding means which will minimize direct handling of the: cable with the hands and reduce the danger of the cablecoming in contact with the clothes and body of the user thus providing for greater cleanliness and reducing the danger of accident in handling the cable.

Other objects are to provide a cable housing and holding device which is simple in construction, efificient in operation and not expensive to manufacture thereby making it an item suitable for home use.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a perspective view of a pipe cleaning device constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal axial sectional view of the same, with parts shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a cross section, with parts -in elevation, taken substantially on broken line 33.of. Fig. 2 auction a larger scale than Fig. 2, showing cable clamping means.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation, with parts broken away, showing devices of modified form for clamping and holding and longitudinally moving a cable.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the devices shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectionalview taken substantially on broken line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views.

This pipe cleaning device comprises a flexible resilient cable 10 of conventional construction formed of a resilient wire wound helically in a closed coil and having on a one end a fixedly attached auger device 11 of larger diameter than the cable adapted to loosen solid material within a pipe into which it is inserted and rotated.

My improved device for receiving and holding and facilitating the use of the cable 10, 11 in cleaning a pipe comprises a cage or housing of generally conical shape having inclined side walls 12. The tapered housing formed by the walls 12 is provided at the end of larger diameter with a flat end wall 13 and at the end of smaller diameter with a flanged fitting 14. The flanged fitting 14 supports a cable guiding tube 15 which is positioned 2 co-axially of 'the housing and protrudes'outwardlythere: from. Obviously the fitting, 14 can be dispensed with and the tube 15 can vbepwelded or otherwise rigidly secured to thewalls 12 atgthe smaller end, of the: housing.

Preferably a longitudinally extending slot 16 is provided in the wall of the tube 15" and terminates short ofboth ends of thegtube. A cable-clamping screw 17 is threaded through the wall of the tube 15 substantially diametrically opposite totheslot 1'6 andhas a finger piece 18' positioned externally of the tube by which said screw 17 may beturned to selectively clamp or release the cable 10. Whenthe screw 17 istightened against a cable 10, see Fig. 3, the cable-willihe crowded into the slot 16 and clamped against the corners formed 'where the side walls of the slot 16 intersect theinner wallofpthe tube 15 and this provides three points of clamping contact for the cable and holds the cable more firmly than it would be held if the slot 16 were not provided.

When the clamp screw 17 is retracted the cable 10 is easily pushed into the housing through the guide tube 15. his not-necessary to secure the cable 10 to the housing exceptby the clamp screw '17. As the cable It) is pushed through the guide tube 15 into the housing it will tend to coil and the resiliency of-the cable will cause the coils to expand and press outwardly against the inclined housing wall'12 and theincline of this wall 12 will cause the coils-of cable to move toward the larger end of the housing and expand to maximum diameter. This action of the coils of resilient cable in expanding against the inclinedhousing wallsand moving toward the larger end of the housing prevents kinking of thevcable in the housing and causesthecable to'operate smoothly both. when it is being pushed intothehousing and when it is being with drawn from the housing.

Preferably enough openings areprovided in the walls 12 and13 of the housing so that water can be washed through the housing for cleaning purposes. Two openings I9 and 20 are shown in the drawings but more openings can be provided orthe housing can even be a cage formed of wire mesh as long as the openings do not permit the cable within the housing to protrude outwardly,

therethrough. Obviously the walls,12 do not need to be a true andexact cone in order to crowd the coils of cable to the larger end of the housing.

A crank handle, herein disclosed as formed of parts 21, 22, 23 and 24, is secured to and extends outwardly from the larger end 13 of the housing. The handle part 21 is positioned against and secured to the housing end wall 13, the part 22 is offset transversely from and is. parallel to the axis of the housing the part 23 extends back toward the axis of the housing and the part 24 is substana tially coaxial with the housing. The part 22 forms a hand-hold by which the housing may be turned and the part 24 serves as a handle by which the housing may be steadied and guided and a moderate end pressure exerted thereon while said housing is being rotated in cleaning a pipe.

When this cleaning device is not in use the cable 10 will ordinarily be completely within the housing with only the auger part 11 protruding from the guide tube 15. In applying the device to a pipe the clamp screw 17 is released and the auger carrying end portion of the cable 10 is fed manually into the pipe as far as it will go or until the auger 11 encounters an obstruction. The clamp screw 17 is then tightened to clamp the cable at a location such that the housing is spaced a short distance from the entrance to the pipe. The housing is then rotated and a moderate end pressure exerted thereon to rotate the cable 10 and auger 11 and dislodge the obstruction. As the work progresses the clamp screw 17 may be loosened at intervals and more cable withdrawn and the clamp screw again tightened and more rotation imparted.

The expanding wall 12 of the housing causes the cable to coil easily and fairly evenly in the larger end of the housing as it is pushed inwardly through the guide tube 15 and when thus coiled the cable is easily withdrawn without danger of kinking or binding.

Figs. 4, 5 and"6 show modified means for clamping and holding a pipe cleaning cable 10' at the location where it comes through a guide tube on the smaller end portion of a substantially conical cable housing 12'. This cable clamping and holding means comprises two peripherally grooved cable holding and guiding rollers 30 and 31 positioned outwardly from but adjacent to the end of the guide tube 15' with their peripheral portions close together. The cable 10' passes between these two rollers and is received within V-shaped peripheral grooves 32 in said rollers. The rollers 30 and 31 are rotatively mounted between the outer end portions of two pairs of roller carrying arms 33 and 34 respectively. At least one pair of arms, for instance the arms 34, are movably supported from a clamp fitting 35 by pivot means 36 so that the roller 31 carried thereby will have some movement toward and away from the other roller 30. The other pair of arms 33 may be fixedly secured to the fitting 35. Resilient means, in this instance springs 37, urge the roller 31 toward the roller 30. The fitting 35 fits telescopically over the guide tube 15' and is securely clamped thereto by means such as set screw 38. Obviously the fitting 35 can be an integral part-of the tube 15'.

The mounting means for one roller, for instance the roller 31, is a shaft 40 journaled in the two lower arms 34 and fixedly secured to roller 31 and terminating in a crank 41 by which the roller 31 may be rotated to longitudinally move the cable 10' in either direction. The rollers 30 and 31 offer enough resistance to longitudinal movement of the cable so that said cable will not be pushed back into the housing 12' by the pressure which is exerted on the housing to feed the cable into a pipe. This may be insured by providing a spring friction brake 42 which is secured to the fitting 35 and engages the roller 31 and is adjustable by means of a screw 43. The cable contacting surfaces of the rollers 30 and 31 are of high friction material or they may be milled or roughened to prevent slippage. The cable 15 can be fed into a pipe by turning the crank 41.-

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that changes in the same may be made within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a device for cleaning pipes, a flexible resilient cable; a substantially cone shaped housing having a substantially fiat larger end and a tubular smaller end, said housing receiving said cable with the cable coiled in the larger end portion of said housing and extending outwardly through the smaller end portion of the same; cable clamping means carried by the smaller end portion of said housing in clamping relation to the cable; a crank member extending approximately perpendicularly from the larger end of said housing substantially in line with the periphery of the larger end of said housing and forming a handheld by which the housing and cable may be rotated; an arm rigid with the end of said crank member adjacent said housing and lying against and fixedly attached to the larger end wall of said housing and extending toward the center of said housing; another arm rigid with the outer end of said crank member and extending from the crank member back substantially to the projected axis of said housing and a pressure and guide handle of substantial length rigid with the inner end of said other arm and extending at right angles from said other arm in a dierction away from said housing and positioned axially of said housing.

2. In a device for cleaning pipes, a circular housing havinga substantially fiat outer end; a cable guiding tube rigid with'and protruding axially from the other end of said housing; a resilient pipe cleaning cable extending through said-,tube and havinga portion of its length coiled within said housing; a cable clamping screw threaded radially through said cable guiding tube and having its inner end positioned in clamping position relative to the cable, said cable guiding tube having a longitudinally extending slot of substantial length and of a width less than the diameter of the cable in the wall thereof opposite said screw, said slot providing relatively long straight edges against which the cable is clamped by the screw in substantially straight and unbent condition when the screw is tightened against the cable; a crank member rigid with said housing and extending substantially perpendicularly from the flat outer end of said housing substantially in line with the periphery of said housing and forming a handhold by which turning force may be applied to the housing; an arm rigid with the outer end of said crank member and extending back substantially to the projected axis of said housing in substantially spaced relation from the flat outer end of the housing; and a pressure and guide handlerigid with the inner end of said arm and extending away from said housing and at right angles from said arm and positioned axially of said houslng.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 1,351 Bartholomew Nov. 4, 1862 2,102,917 Rolland Dec. 21, 1937 2,223,005 Kerber Nov. 26, 1940 2,279,769 Horst'e t a1. Apr. 14, 1942 2,284,939 Asna rd June 2, 1942 2,438,779 Gordon Mar. 30, 1948 2,643,146 Morse June 23, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 306,960 Switzerland July 16, 1955 

